Microbial contamination of elastomeric articles is problematic in many applications. For example, in medical applications (e.g., surgery), microbial contamination of the elastomeric gloves worn by medical personnel is particularly dangerous due to the increased likelihood of infection and the potential for spreading infection to a large number of patients and/or other medical personnel. Thus, several steps are generally taken to ensure that the gloves are free of bacteria and other microbes. During surgery, for instance, a surgeon scrubs his/her hands with a strong bactericidal soap and a brush or sponge to eliminate the presence of inimical microbes. The surgeon then dons presterilized gloves and performs the procedure. In some cases, however, one or more portions of the glove may still become contaminated with microbes. For example, the surgeon may inadvertently contact a contaminated surface during the procedure. Likewise, microbes present deep within in the pores of the skin may reinfest the hands after donning, and thus create a hazard to the patient if the integrity of the glove becomes compromised, such as when the gloves are snagged during donning or punctured by an instrument or a bone fragment.
Besides medical applications, elastomeric articles are also used in other applications in which microbe contamination is of concern. For example, personnel who handle food products (e.g., meat) often wear elastomeric gloves to inhibit microbe contamination. However, the possibility remains that the elastomeric articles will inadvertently contact food-borne pathogens, such as Salmonella and Listeria. If undetected, these pathogens will multiply to an undesirable level during the packaging, transportation, and display of the product. For instance, a temperature increase of less than 3° C. may shorten food shelf life by 50% and cause a significant increase in bacterial growth over time. Indeed, spoilage of food may occur in as little as several hours at 37° C. based on a total pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacterial load of 103 colony forming units (“cfu”) per gram on food products.
As such, a need currently exists for a technique of readily detecting the presence of microbes on elastomeric articles.